DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday alleged that the recent transfer of CB-CID Additional DGP Manjunatha was a blatant attempt to shield a Minister and a top police officer accused of involvement in the ₹40 crore gutkha scam.
“The inquiry into the case is over. The transfer of the CB-CID head at this juncture will cripple the investigation process. His transfer is highly condemnable,” Mr. Stalin said in a statement issued here. Recalling the earlier transfer of IAS officer and Vigilance Commissioner V.K. Jeyakodi, who was appointed as per the direction of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, Mr. Stalin noted that now the CB-CID Additional DGP had also been transferred. “The transfers clearly prove that the State government is seeking to sweep the gutkha scam under the carpet,” the DMK leader alleged.
Mr. Stalin pointed out that already, the government had claimed that documents related to the gutkha scam had disappeared, and that no action had been taken against the officials who were responsible for the lapse.
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“The transfer of the officials is not only against the administrative norms, but is also a clear violation of the High Court order,” he said, reiterating the DMK’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the scam.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami was answerable for the transfers, he said and warned against his government’s efforts to “cover up” the case. The DMK leader asserted that the officials conniving with the culprits and facilitating the transfers won’t be able to escape prosecution.